Rugby sevens fans are primed for action for the second annual Blue Mountains and Greater West Rugby Sevens Carnival on Saturday, December 9.

With 36 teams competing in an expanded tournament with the addition of an open women’s competition, the all-day event at Wentworth Falls will be an action-packed day.

Many teams have returned from the first carnival, which was won by Stannies Old Boys from Bathurst. They beat the Lapstone Grunts – a side of Blue Mountains Grammar and Blue Mountains Rugby old boys.

Tournament director Chris Nay predicted the final would be a showdown between last tournament’s winners, now called the Bathurst Mudcrabs, and the ‘new’ Stannies Old Boys – year 12 school leavers. “They should be the ones to watch,” he said.

The open women’s competition was added this year after significant interest generated during the inaugural competition at Pitt Park. There will be three Blue Mountains teams battling it out as well as sides from Bathurst, Hornsby and Randwick, with Nay tipping Blue Mountains Rugby as the team to beat.

There will also be a schoolgirls and schoolboys competition. The tournament kicks off at 8am, with finals from 3pm to 5pm.

Australian Men’s Sevens player Tom Connor and Women’s Sevens player Cassie Staples will attend the tournament, as well as NSW Waratahs head coach Daryl Gibson and Waratahs player Jed Holloway.